Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told The Clemson Insider Tuesday in Columbia that Amari Rodgers tore his ACL.
The Tigers’ wide receiver went down with the injury during practice on Monday. Rodgers had an MRI on Tuesday which confirmed Swinney’s worst fear.
“We were afraid that is what it was,” Swinney said just before speaking at the Clemson Prowl & Growl event in Columbia. “It was kind of a weird deal on how he just kind of came down on his knee. So, we did get confirmation on that.”
Swinney said surgery to repair Rodgers’ knee is scheduled for next week.
“He is an unbelievable young man,” Swinney said. “He’s got the right makeup as far as what it takes to grind and to get back and be better than he was before, and he will. It is just the process that he has to go through, but he will come back better than ever.”
The Clemson coach says there is a sliver-lining. Before the injury, Rodgers did get to work 10 days in the slot position where he was supposed to start this season.
“He is going to be a great presence in there for us. He was having a great spring,” Swinney said. “He was one of the best players on our team and when he comes back, he will still be one of the best players on our team.
“I just hate it for him, but these things happen. Now he has to channel that energy into his rehab and leading those other guys when he gets ready. Hopefully, he will be ready to go some time in the early part of the season.”
Last year, Rodgers was second on the team with 55 receptions after starting all 15 games at wide receiver. He recorded 575 yards and scored four touchdowns during Clemson’s run to the national championship.
Swinney said Rodgers injury will not change the Tigers’ plan with Derion Kendrick, who has been cross training at cornerback this spring. Kendrick came into the spring working as the second-team receiver in the slot.
The Clemson coach says they know Kendrick can play the slot-position because he crossed trained there last year. But what the Tigers will do is take Diondre Overton and cross train him at the slot.
“We were wanting to work him a little bit at all three positions, kind of like Trevion (Thompson), but he will probably get a lot of slot work,” Swinney said. “Cornell (Powell) has really had an outstanding spring, as has T.J. Chase.
“Cornell and Chase can both play there, Diondre we are training up. So, we are still in good numbers for that position.”
Rodgers led the ACC in punt return yards (299) and total returns (39), while scoring one touchdown. He averaged nearly 20 return yards a game, hidden yards that can flip field position and help the offense.
His lone touchdown on a punt return was a 62-yard return against Boston College that sealed the Tigers’ victory at Chestnut Hill, Mass., last November.
“Very steady, very consistent and very dependable,” Swinney said. “That will not change when he gets back.”
As for right now, Kendrick will be the main guy to return punts for Clemson. Kendrick did not record an official punt return last year, but he did go back and field a few. One of them was a muffed punt in the Cotton Bowl win over Notre Dame that was ruled out of bounds after replay overturned the call on the field as a Notre Dame fumble recovery.
“He is our main guy there, and he needs all the reps he can get,” Swinney said. “But we will look at a couple of other guys that are on our roster the rest of spring that will get some work done, but it will really be fall camp before we really hone in on who we want to lineup back there.”
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